Inspiration Wall

On the wall next to my closet is a large-scale collage that I have nicknamed my Inspiration Wall. It is pretty dorky, but I love it. I have 12" squares of corkboard mounted on the wall in two rows. When I find and item or a look in a magazine that I love (which is quite often, as mentioned here) I cut it out and tack it up. The wall is always changing and pictures come down almost as often as other pictures go up, but some items have been up there for a LONG time. (For example, the several pictures of the PS1 bag that I love even though I am adamant about not liking "It" bags). I have it somewhat organized by category- purses, jewelry, dresses, formal dresses, pants, ensembles, coats, etc- but for the most part I enjoy the messy collage of my favorite things.

The whole collection- a mess of pretty things!


Close-up of dresses and formal dresses (my love of draping evident in the loads of Lanvin and the Ports 1961 bits!)


Might be my fav category- purses! The PS1, lots of Alexander Wang, and big, slouchy bags.

Where does your inspiration come from? Do you display it to enjoy every day?

My J.Crew Wishlist

Every time I get my J.Crew catalog in the mail, I am reminded of why I need to win the lottery... Fall is the worst: all the deliciously soft-yet-paper-thin cardis, the sequins and the precise way they layer pieces that looks effortless makes me "die" (to quote a tiny, infamous gal). I want pretty much everything they make, but my favorites range from super versatile to super decadent:

Chambray Tuxedo-Pleat Shirt

There is a reason I adopted the moniker of The Chambray Countess-- I love that the soft, casual fabric can be paired with anything from basic leggings to luxe fabrics (like the sequin skirt in the picture). This is a lighter chambray than I normally go for (I like it darker or with gray undertones) but the pleats and bow-tie made me smile.

Trouper Pant

I love a good skinny pant that can go from day-to-night. This would be great with flats and a striped boatneck tee, heels with a sequined top or even boots and drapey sweater.

Lace Tee

I love this top. It is a versatile day to night piece that could easily be worn with skinnies or tucked into a high-waisted skirt. I think it would also look really cute layered over a slim-fitting turtleneck or other long-sleeved tee.

Sequin Harem Pant

These pants are not remotely practical. Having said that, I still want them, but the $650 price tag will keep them safely out of reach. Remember the fun you had playing dress-up as a kid? I think putting these on for a holiday party would help you relive that excitement...or you could just look super fabulous at the grocery store, your choice ;)

Does anyone else love the color stories and quirky-yet-classically preppy combos that are oh so J.Crew? Is there another catalog that sends you into daydreams of closet overhauls!

Happy Monday!

Cutting Coupons...

I have never been a coupon cutter. But, I loves me a good deal, so when www.groupon.com came around, I joined. The concept is that a deal is created and if a specified number of people buy it, the deal is "on." While some of the Groupons are for things I am not interested in, like stuff relating to children's petting zoos or wilderness treks, I have actually been really impressed with the scope of variety. I am now the owner of a Groupon for a deal on laser hair removal (eek), a GAP deal ($25 for $50 certificate = mini-spree!) and yoga instruction (1 month unlimited classes and a private instruction at a cute studio for $20!).

I haven't used those yet, but I did take my man to Indulge Burger the other day, Groupon in hand ($15 for a $30 certificate), and was not disappointed. I didn't bring my camera, but trust me, it was amazing. You build your own burger (pick the brioche bun!), choose your meat, which can include salmon or a veggie burger (kobe = yum!), cheese (gruyere is my fav) and about a billion other things. Look at the menu online and you will see what I mean.

That was quite the tangent. (But a delicious one). My point is that you should check out sites like groupon.com and the newly launched livingsocial.com for clothing deals and delicious adventures! (If your city isn't listed, check to see if neighboring cities are included).

Where do you get your great deals? Or are some things worth the splurge?

New Obsession-- Necklace/Scarf Hybrid

I apologize in advance for the small picture. There are no larger images from the Henri Bendel website, but I had to share this:

Roarke NYC silk chiffon beaded neck scarf, $425 at Henri Bendel
It'A bejeweled scarf that is intended to be a necklace?! Crazy...and genius. What fun! I have never seen anything like this, but apparently they aren't new because when I searched the brand, I came up with another post by daily candy that had more variety and pictures. This is obviously too pricey to just saunter into HBendel and purchase, but it might be a good pre-Holiday DIY project...
Anything crazy awesome that you have come across lately?

Designer Focus: The Row

When the Olsens launched their foray into the fashion world with Elizabeth and James and The Row, I was skeptical. I figured the two were done with film for a while and had moved on to a new hobby of "designing" in the non-hands-on way of Jessica Simpson, etc and would produce a whole bunch of junk.

They proved me wrong.

I am not the type of gal to spend $250 on a t-shirt (even if I won the lottery, there would be a huge guilt-factor) but I often see a great basic piece (blazer, pants,etc) in a fashion magazine or on a celebrity, I look for the credits and often see that it is The Row. Those pint-size chicas know their stuff. I like the idea of having excellent basics that you can turn to without thinking that will be timeless and classic, showcase your trendy pieces without style conflicts and be high-quality so that you won't have to replace them every month.

Basics from The Row at Barney's and a look from the Spring 2011 RTW show from style.com

What do you look for when you think of "timeless classics"? And would you ever spend $250 on a t-shirt?

Post-Halloween Pictures

I posted a peek of my Halloween costume earlier (here). I meant to post a picture of the completed outfit, but none of my Halloween pictures turned out that well, however, here is a photo of my costume almost in it's entirety so you get an idea....I warn you, it's a pretty scary picture ;)



My victim is my friend as Officer Hottie, and don't worry, she wasn't harmed ;) Ok, back to regular life, where Butterfingers are eaten one at a time and not for dinner!

I Might Have A Problem...

There's a giddy feeling that overcomes me when I open the mailbox and, in there with all the crinkled ads and bills, is a new magazine. I love blogs for street style, unique points of view, and the ultimate in vintage/hi/low integration, but there is something about the glossy pages of a magazine that I love to pour over in lieu of...everything. A little break from reality, magazines showcase a pretty (albeit sometimes vapid) world I could live in forever ;) Lucky is a definite favorite, I wonder what the new editor's take will be, and there's always Vogue, Harper's Bazaar...Elle, Marie Claire and InStyle are second-tier, but delightful as well. I like TeenVogue, too, but I think there is a tacit age limit ;)
What are your favorite mags and guilty pleasures?